Screaming Dark
by DarkerThanBlack98
Summary: As the only female Akuma Slayer, Karin longs for independence and despises Akuma. How will she handle the danger that approaches her when she falls in love with a mysterious Akuma? AU Mainly Hitsukarin, IchiRuki
1. Midnight

**Heyooo fellow FanFictioners! I'm here with a new story! YAY! As of now I am in the middle of... *counts* 7 stories. :/ I am doing wayyy too much than I can handle right now... but oh well! Life goes on! I'll get them done eventually... XD**

**Anyways, unlike some of my other stories, this story's couple will be none other than HitsuKarin! Woop! My favorite couple! Second to IchiRuki, of course! :D There will also be IchiRuki here, but the story will not be centered around it. I decided to try something new... This story is sort of dark and isn't modern like my others. Change is good for a person! XP This one centers around a world full of war and pain and of course AKUMA! It also follows on how I feel about women independence and such. You'll see that through Karin's thoughts. :)**

** I am seriously not sure about the intensity of the contents in this story, but I will surely warn you about them when the time comes. :P Well... I hope you enjoy my story! Cause I worked too freaking hard on it for no one to enjoy it. Loll :]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach! If I did, Hollow Ichigo would be his own person and not stuck in Ichigo's damn inner world! :}**

**Now on with the story...**

Screaming Dark

Chapter One- Midnight

She walked through the gossamer flowers, embracing the wind and sun engulfing her. The flowers tickled her soft peach bare skin as she strolled through the meadow. The scorching sun was setting, leaving the sky at the peak of tenderness and covered in tinges of oranges and pinks and purples. She smiled at the sight.

"_How I wish this peace would last forever." _She thought to herself. She looked back at the direction from which she came from. Her pure ivory mare was standing there, waiting for her. She was relieved at the sight and smiled. She looked past her horse and saw the town she had just departed from. Her journey into the small village of Karakura had left her puzzled and yearning. She was yearning for the nostalgic smell that the village had provided her, she longed for the liveliness of the quaint little place. Most of all, her heart ached for the man she had met there. The mysterious, beautiful, cunning man she had met left her lonely and incomplete.

Kurosaki Karin was very perplexed. She had never felt this way about any man before. No, she had promised herself that she would stay pure, and independent. She had no need for any man in her life, as she told herself. Marriage was a fantasy, love an illusion. She did not believe any of it. So why was that man, the man with unusual silver spiked hair and sparkling eyes which were the color of the sea, making her feel so _weak_? She could not stand it. However, she did have the need to see that man again. She did not comprehend it, but things in the twisted world in which they lived in were never and nor will ever be evident to understand.

_Karin looked around and took in the scenes before her. Villagers roaming around happily, either shopping or chatting blissfully with other inhabitants. She immediately felt at home in this place. More at home than she had ever been in her house on the outskirts of the country, which was surrounded in woods and darkness. Seeing and feeling the liveliness and delight of this village had made her block out the discreetness and loneliness which she had felt before. She was relieved. _

"_How incredible." She whispered to herself and then smiled. She enjoyed watching the little children play and have fun, and she would have loved to stay there all of her life. But she had an errand to do, and she needed to do it. She walked around in search of the blacksmith's store. She needed a sword, she was going to obtain one if it was the last thing she did. Around that time, women did nothing but sit at home and tend to their families. Karin would not stand for that. She could not and would not stand to be a woman who was weak and powerless. Women were capable of far more than men. She proved that she can fight just as well as any man, and probably even better. She proved she was strong and independent. Since her father refused to train her, and seeing her tremendous skill, her elder brother Kurosaki Ichigo agreed to train her not as a woman, but a man. Karin was greatly indebted to her kind brother for that. _

_After around a half an hour of walking and searching, Karin had finally located the local blacksmith. She was so incredibly happy. She had been waiting for this day for forever. And, after sneaking out on her horse when her father wasn't home, the day was finally here. She walked into the shop and was immediately greeted with the smell of smoke and liquor. She inwardly cringed. The men in that shop looked terrible, with mouths reeking of alcohol and full of cigars. They were three of them there, and all were old and looked demonic. She didn't flinch at them, not at all. She wasn't scared, and will never be. _

"_Afternoon." She greeted politely as she nodded. She saw the three men eye her up and down. She inwardly rolled her eyes. These men were filthy as well as pigs. _

"_Well, hello, young beauty." One of the men said as he walked up to her, not averting his gaze from her chest. Karin wanted to throw up badly. Her figure was not that curvaceous, and she did not qualify herself as pretty. She had long shiny ebony hair that reached her lower back and dark slate grey eyes. She was thin and short and had a permanent scowl edged on her face, just like her older brother. The men in front of her were just desperate pedophiles who would pounce on the first woman who walked in. _

"_May we help you?" another one said. The three were circling her, eager to get their hands on her body. Karin wasn't the least bit fazed. She just stood there with one hand on her hip and a serious look. _

"_I want a sword." She said simply. The three men nodded as they stared at her. _

"_Really?" the third one inquired. "Well, if a sword is your desire, you must fulfill one of our desires first." He licked his lips, and Karin fought back the urge to puke. Who did these men think they were? _

"_And what will that be?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. _

"_Let us have you!" one of them yelled as he lunged for Karin. Karin, being immensely smart as a warrior and an eighteen year-old woman, knew he would do that and dodged just as he came to her. Instead of catching Karin, the man crashed into the other man, both falling on the floor. Apparently the fall had been hard since both of them fell unconscious as they hit the floor. Karin smirked. She looked at the last man standing. _

"_Those two have always been idiots." He whispered. "Luckily I am not!" He jumped towards Karin with an inhuman speed. Right away, Karin understood that this was not a man, but a Demon. She dodged right before he could catch her. He lunged for her again, and she dodged again. Karin was too engaged in the battle so she hadn't noticed a silver-haired man who had stopped at the small store's entrance to see what was going on. He just stared at this spectacular woman, who was battling an Akuma and gaining the upper hand without even a weapon. He was impressed, to say the least. _

_Karin was growing tired of dodging this Akuma and decided it was time to end it. She reached into the pocket of her deep purple cloak and took out a small dagger. The Akuma didn't notice her motion and lunged for her again. She didn't move this time, and only stood there smirking. _

"_I've got you now!" he screamed in his ear-popping voice. His body was an inch away from Karin's and she plunged the silver knife into the heart of the Akuma. She saw his eyes turn from menacing to wide. She smirked evilly. She removed the dagger from his chest and watched the black blood ooze out from the wound. He fell to the ground and disintegrated completely. Karin wiped the blood off of the dagger with a handkerchief and placed back into her cloak. She sensed someone behind her and twirled around quickly. She was greeted with wide turquoise eyes and spiky hair. _

"_Who are you?" was all the man said. He had a very serious look on his face. Karin felt something strange about this man, but she could not pinpoint what she was feeling. All she knew was that she felt strangely comfortable in this man's presence. _

"_I do not know about you," Karin said while crossing her arms. "but my father taught me not to talk to strangers." She heard him snicker slightly. _

"_I see. Well I know something that will catch your attention." She looked up at him with an eyebrow cocked up. _

"_And what would that be?" she inquired as she narrowed her eyes at him. _

"_You're looking for a sword, are you not?" Karin's eyes widened. _

"_Yes, so I happen to be looking for one." She stated hotly. "But I am not so desperate as to accept any sword tossed at me by a random stranger." _

"_Those men that you just defeated were strangers too, were they not?" Karin knew he had a point. _

"_Very well, you have me there." She admitted. _

"_So, here you are." He took out a wrapped item from his black cloak and held it out in front of Karin and placed it in her hands. Karin cocked her eyebrow higher. _

"_What is this?" she asked cautiously eyeing the item. _

"_See for yourself." With that said he walked away and disappeared into the crowd of people outside of the shop. Karin had a very perplexed expression, matching how she felt. Curiously yet carefully she unwrapped the item that lay in her hands. She gasped at what she saw. It was a sword, with a pure white blade that shone in the light and a bright lavender hilt. At the hilt was attached a deep purple stone, one that matched her cloak and could not be identified by her. It was absolutely gorgeous and Karin adored it. It seemed to be specially crafted just for her. She smiled at its beauty, but then realization hit her. Just a random stranger she had run into gave her a sword so lovely. She did not even know his name, but she knew she had to return it. She wrapped the sword back in its cloth and ran out of the store in search for the man. She frantically looked around for him but found no luck. She sighed and looked at the sword again. She placed the sword in the empty sheath that was hanging from her waist, deciding that she'd come back and give the sword back to the man if she found him. But she doubted she would find him again._

_She walked around the lovely town some more, not wanting to leave. She wandered and wandered, watching the people come and go. She had even stopped by a street vendor and tasted some odd concoction he had conjured up. He claimed that it was delicious. It was certainly not. Karin tried her best not to show her disgusted face and smiled saying it was good. She could not seem to keep her mind off of the stranger who gave her the sword. She kept caressing it as she walked, wishing to see him again. Finally, as she reached a small but lush green park in the far east of the town, she spotted him. He was sitting under a tree, just staring at the bright blue sky. Karin smiled and approached him. _

"_Excuse me?" she said. He averted his gaze from the sky and onto her. He seemed to have a puzzled look on his face. _

"_You." He simply said. She smirked at him. _

"_Do you mind if I join?" she politely asked. He nodded and she sat right beside him against the ragged bark of the tree. _

"_How did you find me?" he asked after a few more moments of silence. _

"_It was not as hard as you seem to be thinking it was." She chuckled. She noticed paper on his lap with something written on it and a feather pen in his hand. She was curious as to what he had written. She leaned over and glanced at the slightly wrinkled paper. She smiled at what she saw. _

"_You write poetry." She stated. It was not a question. He looked at her and nodded. She smiled and said "May I read it?" He handed the paper over to her. He did not understand it either, but he felt strangely comfortable around this stranger. She read the poem and recited it aloud. _

"_**I gaze into the sky,**_

_**To find my answer.**_

_**But all I gaze into,**_

_**Is emptiness.**_

_**I extend my hand,**_

_**To grab my answer.**_

_**But all I'm holding onto,**_

_**Is nothingness. **_

_**I plead to my heart,**_

_**To give me my answer. **_

_**But what I am begging to,**_

_**Is loneliness.**_

_**Where is my answer?**_

_**I ask every day and every night.**_

_**I need my answer. **_

_**Will you help me find it?**_

_**I put my heart within yours,**_

_**To find my answer.**_

_**Behind all of the pain and darkness,**_

_**You are my answer." **__Karin smiled broadly at the wonderfully written poem. _

"_It's beautiful." She stated dreamily. She looked at him and smiled. He had a serious look on his face. "So, who is it?" _

"_What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously. _

"_Your answer. Who is it?" He looked back at the sky and stared at the azure nothingness. _

"_I am still waiting for her." He simply replied. Karin nodded and joined him in his staring, her hands still clutching his poem. After some comfortable quiet silence, he stood up abruptly. Karin looked alarmed. _

"_What's wrong?" she had said, standing up as well. _

"_I have to go." He quickly said and started walking away, pulling on the hood of his pitch black cloak in the process. _

"_Wait!" she yelled. She had to return his poem and the sword he had given her. That was the reason she approached him, after all. But, in mere seconds, he disappeared, completely away from sight. Karin stood there, shocked and dumbfounded. Her hand clenched the sword at her waist as she reread his lovely poem. She felt quite empty as he left her, and she did not know why. Many questions were flooding through her mind as she read the poem. Who was he? What was his name? Why had he given her the sword? Why had they been so comfortable in each other's presence, like they had known each other for years? The biggest question ate her mind. _

_Why was she so lonely when he left?_

Karin absentmindedly fingered the sword at her waist as she stared off at the sunset, which was slowly turning darker than black. She sighed as she thought about the mysterious man. She felt some weird energy signals coming from him. Ones that she would sense from an Akuma. She felt sort of frightened at the thought. Was he an Akuma? She didn't know, and she hoped with all of her might that he wasn't.

Karin's family, the Kurosaki family, was one that hunted and killed demons called Akuma. The Slayers and Akuma had the same relationship for who knows how long. It had gone longer than even the oldest Akuma even remember. The Akuma were easy to sense to Slayers, but not to regular humans. Therefore, they prey mostly on humans, devouring their blood for nutrition, and absorbing their souls for survival. Karin despised the Akuma, for they were the murderers of her mother, and she swore that she would protect any human from the Akuma. Women were not allowed to be Slayers, but Karin did not care one bit. She would become a Slayer and she would not rest until she did.

O

He rode through the spring fields on his grey mare. The raw sunset glistened on his perfectly tanned face and the wind blew through his bright orange hair. As the sun was setting, the once puffy white clouds turned into a dark and depressing black. The sky was so dark one could not even distinguish the rain clouds that gathered. With a petite raindrop falling on his cheek, the rider quickened his pace to go back to his home. As he was riding, he closed his eyes and decided to embrace to rain and to let it touch his soul.

"_The rain feels so…peaceful." _He thought as he rode, leaving the brush fields behind him. He decided to stop riding and just stand there, letting the peace of the rain engulf him some more. He never wanted to escape this wonderful feeling.

Kurosaki Ichigo, a very skilled swordsman, resided in the outskirts of the tiny village of Karakura, with his father Isshin, and little twin sisters Yuzu and Karin. The family was not very wealthy, and they owned a modest but comfortable house in the lurid woods on Karakura's border. However, the family did excel in swordsmanship and Akuma slaying, and has been doing it for centuries. Realizing that if he is late, Yuzu would worry, so he started riding again back to his home.

Suddenly, something caught his amber eye. He looked behind him to the fields he had just left behind, which had become dark and gloomy because of the pounding rain. There in the middle of the lush flowers stood a figure, one that Ichigo could not decipher. He turned his stallion around and marched a few steps closer to the said figure. Even as he became closer, his sight of the figure had been blurred by the grayness of the cloudy rain. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look, and he succeeded in elucidating the figure.

The figure was a woman, a beautiful one Ichigo had assumed. She seemed to glow against the blackness of the rain. Her creamy white skin shimmered, seeming to outmatch the delicate flowers in softness. Her long hair was a deep violet, which reached her lower back and was twinkling in its silkiness. Her back was facing him, and when she turned around Ichigo caught sight of sparkling icy blue eyes, with a dazzling silver tint to them. As beautiful as her eyes were, they looked troubled and sad to Ichigo. Her small and petite figure was dressed in a pure ivory silk dress, which flowed on her curvaceous physique. She caught sight of Ichigo, sitting on horseback motionlessly, just staring at her. She flashed him a sad smile, which made Ichigo's heart ache. Within a blink of an eye, the mysterious woman was gone, away from Ichigo's sight. He was left to just stare at the intensity of the depressing rain. Ichigo's eyes widened in pure confusion.

"_Strange." _He thought. He had no idea in the world what that woman was doing there and how she disappeared so quickly and flawlessly. What his mind was dwelling on more was why _he_, out of all people, had come across her, and why she looked so hurt. It gave him a bad feeling; a feeling as if something tragic would soon knock on his door. Shaking the feeling off, Ichigo resumed his journey back home, where he knew his little sister would be waiting for him.

**Well, here's chapter 1! I really really REALLY hope you liked it! This was kinda an experiment. I uploaded it to see if people liked it. I will update regardless, but I just wanted to see. :) And sorry about how bad Hitsugaya's poem was. :/ I kinda wrote it a long time ago and I was too lazy to write a better poem while I was writing this chapter. So I stuck with that one. :] **

**Anyways... wow I talk a lot. XD Review! Please? :) **


	2. Mockingbird

**Hellooo! Chapter 2 is up! Sorry I took sooo long. School... -_- **

**Anyways... enjoy! Oh, and I don't own Bleach. I have the detergent, but not the manga. Sigh :/ **

Chapter Two- Mockingbird

"Karin, you know it is for your good and for our family's good." Isshin tried to convince his stubborn daughter. Karin would not be persuaded, no matter what anyone said or did. Her eyes kept scathing in pure anger and determination.

"I think you do not seem to notice," she sneered as politely as she could, since she was speaking to her father. "but I could really care less about that." Shortly after night had fallen, Karin had decided to come home, since her caring sister Yuzu would be beyond worried about her since the rain had turned into a thunderstorm. She and her brother had ended up arriving home at the same time, but he was greeted kindly while Karin was welcomed to a heated discussion about her future.

"Karin-chan," Yuzu pleaded to her fraternal twin sister. "please reconsider your thoughts." Karin scoffed. Ichigo just stood in the far corner of the room with his arms crossed and a very serious look on his face, listening in on the conversation.

"I will not reconsider my thoughts what-so-ever." Karin stubbornly answered. She was angry to the extent that she could demolish the whole house, but she tamed her anger as much as she could. Her nimble fists were clenched so tightly she was drawing blood.

"He is a good man, Karin." Isshin began. "He will keep you happy; I have no doubt."

"That is not the point, Father." Karin remarked. Right after the family had eaten a delicious dinner prepared by Yuzu, Isshin sat Karin down in the living room to speak to her. Yuzu followed while Ichigo preferred to eavesdrop than to be in the conversation. Isshin had told Karin that the heir of a wealthy Slayer family, the Takahashi family, had asked for Karin's hand in marriage. Isshin and Yuzu had spent the last hour trying to change her thoughts, but her mind was set. She had told herself that she would stay independent and did not need any man to complete her, and she was not going to change her mind at all.

"Then what is the point, Karin-chan?" asked Yuzu softly. Yuzu had a very sad look in her big brown eyes, and Karin pained at seeing it. She did not like when her innocent sister was sad at all. She felt sort of guilty, but was still very determined to stay by her mind.

"The point is that I am sick and tired of women being treated as little weak and frail dolls." She stated hotly. Yuzu and Isshin's eyes widened, and Ichigo finally drifted his gaze from the floor to Karin, looking at her for the first time since the discussion had begun.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Isshin asked cautiously. Karin chuckled dryly.

"You just will not understand, will you?" she snarled lowly. Fed up with everything, she stomped off away from her father and sister and entered her room. Isshin and Yuzu stood there, lost in their thoughts, while Ichigo brooded on what just happened. He ascended the stairs and stood outside of Karin's bedroom door. He knocked on it lightly.

"Karin, it's me." He stated. "Please let me in." After a few moments, she still didn't answer. He did not wait any longer and turned the knob to her room. As he entered, he saw her standing by the window, just gazing hard at the booming thunderstorm. She looked almost ghostly, since the room was completely dark and the only source of light was the lightning that flashed every now and then.

"What are you planning on doing?" she spoke after a few minutes of silence, save the boisterous and obnoxious thunder. "Are you going to lecture me on how marrying this man is good for me as well?"

"No." he refused simply. "I respect your wishes." She turned around and faced him in surprise, her eyes wide.

"Really? You were never one to go against Father." He snickered lowly.

"I was not, before." He said in a matter-of-factly voice. "If I disagree with anything Father says now, I will not hesitate to speak my mind." Karin chuckled.

"I see. Well I seem to have gotten it from someone." Both of them chuckled more.

"Believe it or not, I really admire you, Karin." Karin's mouth dropped. "Judging by your expression, I believe I have to elaborate. Even though I never show it, I really admire your strong will and desire to be independent and powerful. That was one of the reasons why I had agreed to train you in sword fighting without much hesitation." Karin blushed at her brothers words.

"Well, I am pretty much the same as you. We think the same, do we not?"

"I suppose we do." He smiled. "But, even if you are immensely powerful, I will not go above protecting you every chance I stumble upon. Understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." She teased. Even though being protected went far against her principles, she did not seem to mind when it was Ichigo. It was mainly because he was just as stubborn as she, and if she said she did not want to be protected by him, it would go through one of his ears and out the other. So, she decided to let him do as he wished. She was actually very pleased that he was so determined to protect her.

"There is a reason why I have come up here, Karin." He said suddenly serious. Karin looked at him with a curious expression dancing on her perfect features.

"And what may that be?" she inquired. His usual scowl was back on his face, as well as hers. He stared at her intently.

"I know that you have snuck into town today." Karin gasped. She thought that she had gotten away with sneaking out without anyone finding out. She was wrong.

"H-how could you-…"

"Do not worry about that." He cut her off. "I recognize that your reason for visiting Karakura was to obtain a blade, was it not?"

"Yes, it was, Ichi-nii." She admitted. She was very good at fibbing, but she was never one to lie to her brother. They were just wasted on him, for he knew her better than anyone else, even her twin.

"Do not look so troubled." He comforted. "I have no complaint against your reason for going there. What you brought back is what I am concerned about, Karin."

"What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously.

"That katana hanging on your waist," he pointed to it. "do you sense something unusual about it?" Karin was very perplexed. She gently unsheathed her pure white sword and held it in front of her to examine.

"I do not sense anything coming from it, Ichi-nii." She said, still eyeing the sword. He gave her a knowing look.

"Exactly." He said. "That sword is not a Slayer's sword." Karin cocked an eyebrow in pure bewilderment.

"That is preposterous, Ichi-nii." Karin disbelievingly said. "If it is not a Slayer's sword, than whose sword could it possibly be?"

"An Akuma's." Karin's eyes widened. Images of the silver-haired man raced through her mind immediately. She had known that she had sensed something strange from him; she just did not want to acknowledge that. "If it was a Slayer's sword, we would have surely sensed at least some Reiatsu coming from it. But, there is none, so it is an Akuma's."

"T-that's impossible, Ichi-nii!" she yelled and dropped the sword on the floor. She was panting with a very worried expression. She suddenly felt pained, scared even. She had no idea why she was acting like that. Ichigo saw her distress and ran up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Calm down, Karin!" he demanded. "It isn't that serious. The sword will not do anything to you. It is harmless without an Akuma wielder."

"I know that."

"Then why are you so troubled?" he frantically asked. Then, it hit him. Karin had the same sad and pained eyes as the woman he saw in the middle of the meadow. He was very perplexed.

"I honestly do not know myself, Ichi-nii. I just feel… feel…" she drifted off.

"Feel? Feel what?" he asked loudly.

"T-that I am being watched." She stuttered quietly. "T-that someone is j-just watching me and waiting to a-attack m-me."

"Why would you think that, Karin?" he quietly asked.

"I-I don't know. I-I…"

"Don't worry, Karin." Ichigo said reassuringly and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest and calmed down. "I will not let anything happen to you. I promise." He felt her nod slightly.

"I don't want him to be an Akuma, Ichi-nii." She whispered after a few moments of silent embracing.

"Who?" Ichigo asked, feeling sort of nervous.

"The man who gave me this sword." She answered. His eyes widened a little.

"What man gave you this sword?"

"I do not know his name. All I know is that he had spiky silver hair and the most fabulous teal eyes. They reminded me of the ocean, and I wanted to swim in them." She closed her eyes and dreamily thought of the man.

"He did not try anything on you, right?" Ichigo asked.

"No, he did not."

"That is good." He pulled away from the embrace. "But he is still out there. And I must rid this world of him." He started walking out of the room when Karin grabbed his wrist. He looked back at her and saw her pleading eyes. He never remembered seeing Karin look so… _weak_.

"Please do not kill him." She begged.

"Karin-…"

"Please." She cut him off. "I haven't the slightest clue why, but I do not want him to die. The minute I laid my eyes on him, I immediately felt drawn to him." He pulled his wrist out of her grip.

"Karin, you know full and well that he probably put a spell on you to feel this way." He coldly said. "It is all just an act. When you are vulnerable, he will make his move and slaughter you like they do to everyone else."

"NO!" she screamed. "H-he would never do that! He is different, I say!" Ichigo was getting more and more worried about her by the minute.

"Karin," Ichigo started calmly. "your refusal to be betrothed is not only because of your independence." His worried eyes bored into her scared ones.

"I do not know, Ichi-nii." She whispered.

"Karin, please, I am not trying to steal your happiness. I am truly sorry, but I have to forbid you from seeing him."

"NO!" she screeched. Ichigo was surprised Yuzu or Isshin hadn't heard her.

"Karin, I am only trying to protect you." He said like a father.

"Please, Ichi-nii." She begged. Ichigo turned his head to the side, not wanting to see her tears.

"You should go to bed. It is getting late." He led her to her bed where she lied down. He pulled the covers over her and gently kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes in order to sleep.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He slipped out of her room soundlessly. Once she was certain he had left, Karin had opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. She looked to her left and saw her purple cloak, the one she had worn that day, scattered on the floor. After she had come home that day, she quickly skipped to her room and tossed her cloak there, not caring where it would land. She climbed out of her bed and picked the soft fabric up, which was still drenched from the rain. She reached inside the pocket and took out the crumpled little piece of paper. She unfolded it and reread the Stranger's poem again. She smiled. Her eyes caught the sword that he had given her, still in the same spot she had dropped it in. Her eyes saddened and her smile disappeared.

"_I do not care whether he is an Akuma or not." _Karin thought. _"I will see him again." _

O

**Well, there it is. Chapter 2. Hope you liked it! And thank you soo much for the reviews for the first chappie! I really hope you give me more**_... _**XD**

**Review! Wait, didn't I mention this already? Oh well... PEACE! :]  
><strong>


	3. Trapped

**I've finally managed to write chapter 3! Sorry it took so long...it's kinda longer than I thought it would be. **

**The story is going slower than I thought it would...but the action will be here soon! I hope...:/**

Chapter Three- Trapped

"I am assuming that you have convinced her to accept the proposal." Isshin stated to Ichigo as he descended the stairs after coming back from Karin's room. He had a blank expression. "Am I wrong?"

"Yes," Ichigo stated strongly. "you are wrong. Unlike you, I respect the fact that Karin wishes to be independent. I admire it." His blank expression turned one of determination.

"Interesting." Isshin said. "She is just like you. Strong-willed and independent."

"You say that like it is a bad thing." He remarked hotly.

"It is not a bad thing, Ichigo." He corrected. "I am just stating a fact."

"Karin is in danger, Father." Ichigo stated out of the blue. Isshin's face turned dead serious.

"How do you know?" he asked sternly.

"I know." Ichigo said simply, not elaborating.

"You need to explain, Ichigo."

"You do not need the details as of now." Said Ichigo, clenching his fists. "All I am going to admit is that she met an Akuma. I think he is after her. But Karin denies it."

"Why does she deny it?" Isshin interrogated.

"She seems to have fallen for him. I tried to convince her it is all a trick, but she will not accept it." Ichigo said and closed his eyes in frustration.

"What if it is not a trick, Son?" Isshin pointed out. Ichigo laughed dryly.

"Do not make me laugh, Father." He said seriously. "I highly doubt that it is not."

"I do not doubt it." Whispered Isshin. "It may be a trick, or it may not be. You must understand, Son, that not all Akuma are like that." Ichigo scoffed loudly.

"Well, that is going to be pretty hard for me to comprehend, Father." He retorted. "To me, there is no such thing as a 'nice Akuma'. All of them are evil beasts." Isshin gave his son an apologetic look.

"Ichigo." Isshin tried putting a hand on his shoulder but he turned away before he could.

"No." Ichigo stated. "Karin will not be in any danger as long as I am around." Ichigo swiftly passed Isshin, going out of the front door and slamming it hard. Isshin just slowly shook his head.

"When will you stop being so stubborn, Son?"

O

Ichigo escaped his claustrophobic home, anger rising in his cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair, which had been soaked in plain seconds from the pounding rain. It felt like his skin was being pelted with salient little pebbles. However, Ichigo was too drowned in his thoughts to notice. He just stood there in front of his front door, staring out at the moon which had been hidden by the misty clouds.

His mind kept drifting over to Karin; it focused more on the pained and weak look in her beautiful eyes. He sighed in distress.

"_Her eyes are not beautiful when filled with pain." _He thought bitterly. He closed his eyes, hoping for peace and serenity to overtake him. To his discomfort, it did not. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the pained and sorrowful eyes of the woman he had seen in the meadow. He was so confused. He did not know what to do about Karin. He had no clue about that woman he saw, and about the message she was attempting to send him. His mind was in a million little pieces, and all he longed for were answers. To understand. To finally be happy again. He sighed slowly once again, and let the rain drench him.

After standing there for what felt like eternity, Ichigo was finally tugged out of his thoughts when someone opened the door behind him. It was Yuzu standing in the doorway, her sandy blond hair being protected by a pink cloak. She looked at her older brother sadly. Similar to Karin, Ichigo ached when seeing his naïve little sister gloomy. Ichigo looked at Yuzu in a very caring way.

"Oni-chan." She said lowly.

"Yuzu, it's late." He said, barely audible over the rancorous rain. "You should go back inside and rest."

"I should be saying that to you, Oni-chan." She chuckled lightly, but to Ichigo it sounded completely dissimulated. Ichigo gave her a light smile. "You have been standing out here in the bone-chilling rain for who knows how long. You will no doubt catch a cold. Please come back inside."

"I am not ready to come in just now, Yuzu." Ichigo disagreed stubbornly. "I still need to clear my mind."

"Oni-chan," she said, gripping Ichigo's arm and looking into his eyes intently. "Knowing you, clearing your mind will take not a few minutes, but a few years." They both smiled. "Please come back inside, for me. If you would like, we may talk about your thoughts inside over some warm tea." Ichigo knew that he could not refuse her anymore. He nodded and she led him inside. She closed the door and walked over to Ichigo, taking his cloak and hanging it up to dry. Ichigo sat down on the couch in his still soaking clothing.

"It was freezing out there, Oni-chan!" Yuzu exclaimed, rubbing her arms. "How in the world had you stayed out there for so long?" Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not have the slightest clue." He snickered as did Yuzu. She went into the kitchen and started brewing the tea. After about ten minutes, Yuzu was out in the living room, a platter in hands with two hot cups of tea sitting on it. She placed the tray on the coffee table and sat down on the chair adjacent to Ichigo's spot. Yuzu silently handed Ichigo a cup; he nodded and took a sip. Yuzu took her own cup and sat back, ready to start the conversation.

"So," she began, looking at him attentively. "where do you want to start?"

"I honestly do not know, Yuzu." Sighed Ichigo, setting his cup back on the table. He sat back and ran his fingers through his spiky hair. "My mind is scattered in so many different pieces I may have trouble relocating all of them."

"That is exactly why I am here, Oni-chan." She smiled warmly. "I am here to help you relocate the pieces. You just need to explain." Ichigo nodded and started his speech. He went on for hours and just explained the depths of his feelings to Yuzu. He explained his pain over Karin, over the Akuma who had troubled him all of his life, his concern over the mysterious and pained woman he had seen in the meadow, everything. Yuzu sat there and listened to every word he said, not deflecting her gaze from him. Ichigo was very grateful to have a sister such as Yuzu.

"I had never known so much has been troubling you, Oni-chan." Stated Yuzu after Ichigo was done speaking. "Why have you not spoken to anyone about this?"

"How did you know that I haven't spoken to anyone?" asked Ichigo, raising an orange eyebrow.

"I know you so well, Oni-chan." She chuckled lightly. "I am certain that I am the first person you have explained any of your feelings to."

"I only feel comfortable with you knowing my thoughts. No one else." Ichigo sternly said. Yuzu grinned sadly.

"I am well aware of that, Oni-chan." She said lowly. "However, keeping your thoughts all jumbled up like that for so many years is no doubt not a healthy thing to do." Ichigo lowered his head.

"I know that." He whispered. "It is just that I could not bring myself to tell anyone. I am glad that I finally let it escape me." Yuzu rested her nimble hand gently on Ichigo's big one.

"I am also glad." She smiled warmly. She got up and placed the empty tea cups back on the tray, ready to walk into the kitchen. Ichigo looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Wait. Where are you going?" he asked standing up.

"I am going to get ready for bed." She casually responded, walking into the kitchen. Ichigo followed her.

"You are just going to leave after I have just poured my heart out to you?" he snarled slightly.

"Yes." She replied nonchalantly. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, looking at her suspiciously.

"Do you have anything to say?" he asked. She looked up at his tall form.

"No, I do not, Oni-chan." She said simply. "If you would like me to give you advice, then I think you have come to the wrong person. Or I personally believe you have come with the wrong issue."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he cocked his eyebrow up higher.

"It means that the only one who can advise you on this problem is yourself." Ichigo widened his eyes.

"Myself? How do you suppose I do that, Yuzu?" he asked, anger rising. Yuzu finally turned her attention away from washing the cups to him.

"Do not ask me." Said Yuzu, brushing past him on the way to the stairs. She stopped before she ascended the first stair and said, "The only one who may answer your questions and advise you is yourself. You just have to descend deeper within yourself, and then you'll find yourself at peace." With that said, Yuzu disappeared in the dark staircase. Ichigo just smiled at his little sister. Yuzu was surely a very hyper girl, but behind all of that craziness stood a deep and very brilliant young woman.

O

Karin rode on her ivory stallion, on the way to Karakura to see the Stranger. She was determined to see him again, despite what her brother had said to her last night, and despite the feeling of being watched, followed. She was actuated to return him the sword and the poem he had written. She would not lie; she missed him. Terribly. She was awfully lonely for someone whom she did not even know. She did not even know his name. Karin continued to question the ways of the world and man. That, she believed, was the only explanation as to why she was longing for the Stranger so much. The ways of man were ones that would never even be understood by man itself. Karin sighed, putting her thoughts aside as she rode. As she was advancing closer and closer to the little town, she could not help but feel somewhat nervous. She really could not decipher what feeling she was experiencing exactly, actually. All she knew was that she was eager to get to the town in front of her.

She finally arrived in the town, and she found it to be even more beautiful than she had remembered. Her first journey here was made in the daytime, where the scorching sun was beaming over it. But now, as she arrived, the town was blanketed in the pure neon colors of the sunset. The pinks and oranges were shining over the small little shops, the comfortable looking houses, even on the faces of the villagers walking by on the dirt streets. Karin loved gazing at the sight. Her happiness of being back was short-lived, however. A realistic thought had hit her.

"_How am I supposed to locate the Stranger today?" _she thought sadly. _"I was lucky enough to stumble upon him yesterday. Today, I do not think I will be so lucky." _Karin sighed and walked around the lively streets, fingering the blade at her waist. She reached into her copper cloak pocket and grabbed the little crumpled piece of paper out of it. She read the poem he had left with her again out loud, as if it would lead her to him. She knew that will most likely not occur, but she had to try.

Right as she had finished reading, someone had bumped shoulders with her. This caused her to lose her grip on the paper and it fluttered to the dirt beneath her feet. Karin rubbed her shoulder and grunted since the person who had hit her was a big man.

"Watch where you are going!" she yelled as she turned around to face the man who was walking away with his back to her. She had hoped he heard her shout. She turned back around and looked at the paper she dropped. She reached down to pick it up right when a gust of wind had flown it away just out of her reach. Karin grunted again in frustration. She reached for the paper again and this time it had been stepped on by a pedestrian and moved further away from her. The beautiful poem written on that paper had now been covered in footsteps and dirt. She walked up to the paper, since it traveled quite far away from her, when someone else picked it up. Karin widened her eyes and looked at the hooded person as he read the paper. She could not spot his face under his black cloak, and she ran up to the man.

"Excuse me!" she shouted as she approached the man. "That is mine!" She heard the man snicker slightly.

"No," he said. Karin thought his smooth voice sounded familiar to her, but she brushed that thought aside. "this poem is actually not yours." Karin raised an eyebrow in anger and placed her hands on her hips.

"Who are you to tell me that?" she sneered. The man didn't answer. "If you believe that it isn't mine, than whose is it?"

"Mine." He answered simply. Karin widened her eyes as the hooded man lifted his hood off of his head, revealing spiky silver hair. He lifted his head and his turquoise eyes bore into her slate gray ones. Karin was surprised on the outside, but on the inside she was very happy and relieved.

"Y-you." She stammered. His face was carved into a very serious and stern expression.

"You were looking for me." He said austerely. It was not a question by his tone.

"Yes, I was." Said Karin. She smiled faintly at him. "To tell you the truth, I am quite pleased that I found you." Karin was not just pleased; she was ecstatic.

"Actually," he said turning around. "I have found you." He started walking away from Karin, and she had found herself experiencing the same lonely feeling she had the first time he parted with her.

"Hello!" she yelled. "Where do you suppose you are going? You cannot turn your back on me like that! How rude is that?"

"I never said I was not rude, have I?" he slyly responded with his back still towards her trolling away. Karin found her anger rise.

"After all that it took to locate you," she sneered in all anger. "you just turn your back on me and walk away!" He stopped walking and chuckled mildly.

"I did not say I was leaving, did I?" replied the Stranger. Karin was confused by his statement.

"If you are not leaving, then-…" Karin did not get to finish before he cut her off.

"Come with me." He motioned her towards him as he walked on. Karin nodded and walked, catching up to him and walking side-by-side. She kept gazing at his tanned face as she walked. She could not get herself to stop staring at his beauty. Being in his presence was comforting yet menacing at the same time. She could not pinpoint the reason why. She pushed that off in her mind as much as she could and walked with him in silence.

"We have been walking for quite a while." Karin complained after fifteen minutes of walking. She tiredly rubbed the back of her neck and stopped walking. The Stranger walked a few paces ahead of her and then stopped.

"Stop your complaining." He said with his back to her, clearly annoyed. Karin furrowed her eyebrows and her usual scowl appeared back on her porcelain skin. "We are almost there." Karin huffed and continued walking. After around five more minutes of walking, they had finally reached the designated destination of the stranger.

"Here we are." Said the Stranger. Karin stood mesmerized at the scene in front of her. It was a waterfall, a tiny one Karin had decided. Despite its size, it was breathtakingly gorgeous. The cascading water glistened in the torrid sun rays that pounded over it. Around the liquid were flowers of many varieties, ranging from pink poses to scarlet camellias. Karin grinned lightly at the sight.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered to the man next to her in pure awe at the sight before her. The Stranger did not respond, but continued gazing at the scene before him, like Karin. Suddenly, Karin escaped her trance and abruptly turned to the Stranger.

"I must ask you this question. It has been eating my mind since yesterday." Karin sternly said, scowl in place.

"What question is that?" said the Stranger. Karin unsheathed the ivory blade which hung at her waist. She held it out in front of her for him to examine. He eyed it carefully with an eyebrow raised.

"Why have you given me this?" she asked frantically. "Why me, out of all people?" She witnessed the Stranger's eyes sadden.

"I cannot answer that." He said as he turned away from her. Karin's anger boiled inside of her small body.

"Why?" she screamed. She demanded answers and she was going to obtain them if it was the last thing she did. "I've been squirming for answers and you decide not to tell me?"

"It is not that I have _decided_ not to tell you." He said, his back still towards her. "It is just that I cannot tell you." Karin's anger did not die.

"Why can you not tell me?" she sneered, her anger lowering but still much.

"I can't say that either." He replied, looking over his shoulder. Karin bowed her head and slumped her shoulders.

"Very well." She said, her eyes invisible behind her bangs. "For some absurd reason, I understand you. Some things are just better left unsaid. Some questions are better left unanswered." The Stranger turned around precipitously and stared at Karin with wide eyes. Karin lifted her head and gave a small smile.

"Well," she began. "I hope you are able to answer this question." He raised an eyebrow. "What is your name?" She saw him smirk slightly.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro." With that said, the Stranger now named Hitsugaya walked away, disappearing behind the thick mist created by the waterfall. Karin sighed in relief. Sure she still had other questions she would have liked to be answered, but she was satisfied with knowing his name. Behind the musty mist, she saw a little wrinkled piece of paper fall gracefully to the bright green ground under her. Curiously, Karin picked the paper up and unfolded it. It was Hitsugaya's poem. Karin smiled brightly as she reread it.

**Yay! Karin finally knows his name! Don't worry, the HitsuKarin romance is almost here! XD**

**Thank you for reading and pwease review! :)**


	4. Nightengale

**Hello...*smiles nervously* I apologize for not updating in a long time. I've been pretty busy. I really should be doing dishes right now but I don't want to! I really need to update! I've kept you guys waiting long enough and I feel terrible. :'( Anyways...I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)**

**I don't own Bleach! **

Chapter 4- Nightengale

Ichigo walked very leisurely throughout the meadow, letting its beauty overwhelm him with bliss. Walks like these had always helped clear his industrious mind. He was very glad to be lucky enough to experience simple yet elegant nothings such as this. As Ichigo was walking under the bright and mesmeric moon and through the supple flowers, which were illuminated in the tenuous light of night, his sharp eyes caught sight of something just a few paces in front of him. The something was a woman, the same women Ichigo had spotted in this same meadow a night ago. Ichigo widened his eyes and gaped. Her gorgeous and sparkling form looked even more luxurious in the moonlight. She turned to face Ichigo, and her sad and pained eyes bore into Ichigo's confused and worried ones. She flashed him her signature morose smile, and Ichigo once again filled with grief at witnessing it. His mind was beyond the state of confusion.

She stood there in her snowy white silk dress, still staring at Ichigo's face. The intensity of the distress and sorrow in her eyes was almost too much for Ichigo to bear. Yet, he did not look away. He couldn't. He was too captivated by her eyes to avert his gaze. She extended her hand towards him, and Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows at the gesture. He had no clue what she was up to. She looked as if she wanted to hold his hand. He saw her velvety lips move, whispering something, but Ichigo could not quite hear what she said. Ichigo jerked his head towards her slightly, indicating her to repeat. She understood.

"_Beware."_ She murmured a bit louder, extending her hand towards him more. Her voice sounded like a song, so clear and musical. Ichigo's eyes widened at what she said.

"W-what?" Ichigo stuttered, stumbling back lightly. He was so confused he couldn't think straight. The woman's eyes watered as she retreated her hand.

"Please, beware." She repeated for the third time, her sing-song voice being stronger.

"W-why?" he asked cautiously. The woman smiled softly and looked at the sharp blades of grass beneath her.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." She suddenly said solidly. Her soft smile was gone and replaced with a hard scowl. Ichigo's eyes widened even more to the extent that they pop.

"H-how do you know my name? Who are you?" he frantically yelled, being scarcely shaken.

"I am a friend." She replied simply. Her eyes lightened somewhat and weren't so pained anymore. Her sad and fake smile turned gentle and _real._

"What do you mean by that?" he sneered, unwilling to tame his temper for any longer. "Why are you after me? What do you want?" She seemed very unfazed by his tantrum.

"Beware." She warned again, turning around, her back facing him. He clenched his fists even harder, his finger nails piercing into his bronzed skin.

"What?" he shouted. "Why?" The woman looked over her shoulder. Her smile was gone, replaced by a scowl and furrowed eyebrows.

"Because." She responded simply, irritated.

"What in the world do you mean by that?" he said, calmer.

"Danger will befall you soon, Kurosaki Ichigo." She seriously uttered. Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "Please be cautious." She did not give Ichigo a chance to react, for she completely vanished within mere seconds. His chocolate brown eyes opened and closed furiously, making sure they weren't deceiving him. They weren't. She disappeared, leaving Ichigo immensely perplexed and concerned. Who was she? What had she meant when she said danger will befall him? How did she know it would befall him? Was she possibly the entity watching and stalking his sister Karin? So many questions were swimming in Ichigo's mind. He wanted so many answers, but accepted that he would remain unanswered. Attempting to shrug the disturbing encounter with the woman, he resumed his stroll through the meadow.

Something tore him out of his thoughts. An Akuma. He sensed it nearby. Turning around, he ran to the location of the Akuma, grabbing the hilt of his sword Zangetsu. His senses led him to the forest that bordered the meadow. As he entered the Akuma's location, he saw it terrorizing a young hooded woman. The Akuma must have been the most hideous one Ichigo had ever seen. Its face was masked with an old and rotted skull and his body was spider-like with repulsing slime sliding all over it. Ichigo resisted the urge to vomit at witnessing this ugly thing. Unsheathing Zangetsu, Ichigo charged for the Akuma. He successfully sliced the Akuma's head in half, black blood bursting out from the wound. As Ichigo sheathed his sword, he saw the Akuma's dead body disintegrate on the forest floor. Ichigo turned to the woman the Akuma was attacking.

"Are you alright?" he asked, eyes filled with worry. The woman lifted her head to reveal her face. Ichigo stood still, his whole body being intoxicated by the small woman's beauty. Her short and silky ebony hair was being shadowed by the delicate fabric of her emerald green cloak. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and under them were big and simply astonishing violet eyes, which were shimmering. Ichigo felt mesmerized by seeing them; he felt hypnotized by them. A scowl marked her perfect face, and her milky white skin was glowing and just blossomed in its silkiness. Her figure was small and not so curvy, but suited her well. It was covered in a dress, which lined her subtle curves ever so gently. It was a simple gray silk dress lined with crimson embroidery. Ichigo knew just by looking at her that she came from a wealthy family. Ichigo stared at her like he would die if he looked away. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She seemed like a flower in a swamp. She was simply irresistible. He saw her moving her luscious lips but did not pay heed to what she was saying.

"Excuse me?" he heard her say in an irritated tone. He stopped gazing at her.

"I apologize." He said, slightly zoned out. "What was that?" She shot a menacing glare at his way.

"I said that I am fine." She repeated. "I also said that I would have been able to care of that Akuma myself, if I hadn't left my katana at home." Her tone sounded very rude. Despite her loveliness, Ichigo was certain this woman's haughtiness and insolence would bother him.

"I see." Was all he said. He furrowed his eyebrows and scowled, turning his gaze away from her. She immediately felt guilt for her behavior.

"I am sorry." She mumbled. Ichigo looked back at her in awe.

"What?" he inquired, taken slightly aback.

"I said I am sorry. Do you have trouble hearing?" she smartly remarked. Ichigo glared and his scowl deepened as he shook his head. "Well, it sure seems like you do. I believe it would kill you to pay attention with the little brain you have, am I right?" Ichigo's anger boiled inside of his plump veins.

"Look, lady." He snarled lowly, trying to contain his anger. That was proving very difficult for him. "I did not have to save you. I could have let you die. I should have, in fact." His cheeks burned red with anger as he turned around. He was about to take a step away from her before he felt a hand grab his wrist. He immediately stopped in his tracks. When she touched him, it felt like electric shocks coursed through his entire body. He turned his head back at her, where her marvelous face was hidden by the hood of her cloak.

"I am deeply sorry." She whispered, remorse in her voice. "I should not have been so rude to my savior." Ichigo slumped his shoulders and gave in. With a stunning face like hers, he knew he could not stay mad at her for very long. She let go of his hand, and he ran his fingers through his spiky hair.

"It is alright." He comforted. She lifted her head and gave him a gentle smile. Ichigo felt like melting when he saw it. Her smile was absolutely enticing.

"Well, to properly thank you, I shall invite you to my home for dinner." Said the woman. She reached into the pocket of her cloak and took out a small piece of paper. She handed the paper to Ichigo with her petite fingers. "Please arrive at this address on the fifth with your family. Please do come." Ichigo examined the paper in his hands. It read _Kuchiki Manor_ and then its address. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"_So she's a Kuchiki?" _he thought.

"May I ask you your name?" he asked politely.

"Kuchiki Rukia." She replied. She had such an alluring name, and it rolled off of her tongue in perfect syllables. Ichigo smiled and took her hand. He bent down and kissed it tenderly. He looked up to see her blush slightly.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." He stated, straightening up but still holding her hand. She recovered from her blush and grinned brightly.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Kurosaki-san. But, unfortunately, I must take my leave. I look forward to seeing you at dinner. Good night." Before Ichigo had a chance to respond, she trolled away, fading away in the blackness of the green forest trees. Ichigo looked at the paper in his hand. He smiled.

"I look forward to seeing you too." He whispered to himself.

O

Karin lay on her bed, a horrid memory plaguing her. She clutched the poem in her hands. It had been weeks since the Stranger had told her his name. Hitsugaya Toshiro. She simply adored his name. In those weeks after he told her his name, she kept visiting him. Each day she rode to town, desperate to see him again. They have had intriguing conversations with each other. Karin soon found herself falling for him more and more each day she saw him. Finally, she had noticed that she was in love with him. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered what had happened after her brother had found out she had been traveling into town to see Hitsugaya.

"_Why had you gone into town?" he slowly asked, his seething anger clearly visible to Karin as she stood in front of him in the living room of their small house. Isshin and Yuzu stood in the sidelines, watching the heated discussion. _

"_That is not of your concern, Ichi-nii." Karin remarked, staring him down as he was doing to her. He raised an eyebrow at her reply. _

"_It is my concern, Karin!" he suddenly yelled, startling Yuzu and Isshin. Karin was not fazed, and stood eyeing him. "You went to see that man again, hadn't you?" _

"_So what if I had?" she screamed back, tears in her eyes. _

"_I had forbidden you from seeing him! You know as well as I what he is, Karin!" _

"_I know what he is!" she countered. Hitsugaya had not told her what he was, she figured it out herself. Yet, she found herself not caring one single bit. "So what if he is an Akuma?" _

"'_So what'?" he screeched. "That is all you have to say! He's an Akuma, Karin! He'll murder you! Do you not remember what happened to Mother?" _

"_I remember clearly." She suddenly lowered her voice and mumbled. "But he is different!" Her voice was high again. _

"_He is not different!" Ichigo bellowed. "They are all the same!" _

"_How do you know that?" she responded loudly. _

"_I know." _

"_What is wrong with you, Ichi-nii?" she bawled. "Why are you getting so angry? Why can you not let me have freedom? Why are you trying to take away my happiness?" Her voice was so loud it broke one of the glasses in the kitchen. Yuzu and Isshin stood terrified at the argument before them. Ichigo stood staring at Karin, appalled at what she had just said. _

"_Karin." He said in a comforting voice. He tried putting a hand on her shoulder but she smacked it away before he could. _

"_No! I demand answers from you, Ichi-nii!" she shouted. Ichigo clenched his fists very tenuously. _

"_I am not trying to take away your happiness!" he hollered. "I am just trying to protect you! Is that so wrong?" _

"_It is wrong if you take away my happiness in the process!" Ichigo clasped his jaw so tight he was afraid his teeth would break. _

"_I should be asking _you _what is wrong with you!" he howled. "Why are you getting so offended and angry for this man? You are arguing with your older brother senselessly for some damned stranger? Just who is he to you?" _

"_He is my love." She hissed slowly, her head held down. Ichigo widened his eyes, as well and Yuzu and Isshin. His anger was suddenly gone, and replaced by shock. _

Karin's eyes were flooded with tears as she remembered the scene clearly. She had definitely not enjoyed arguing with her brother like that, the one who had actually permitted her some freedom. But, he was being so unreasonable, she decided. He was trying to snatch away her happiness, and she would not allow that. After she had told him she loved Hitsugaya, Ichigo said he could care less, and walked away, mumbling that he still forbade her from seeing him. She did not give a damn. She would see him.

The feeling hit her again. The feeling of being watched, stalked. She was going insane with the knowledge that she was being watched. She hated the fact that she could not do anything about it. She was helpless. She looked around frantically, her eyes searching for something she did not know. Her eyes met nothing. Karin covered her watering tears with her hands.

"What's happening to me?" Karin whispered quietly to herself. An answer was something she could not grasp. She so desperately wanted to understand everything. She wanted nothing more than to be alone and to stop being watched. She wanted the madness to stop. The madness would only stop when she met Hitsugaya again.

Her mind made up, she abruptly sat up in her bed. She stared at the wall of her room, which was darkened in the ebony lightlessness of the night. The glittering light of the moon was all that illuminated her lovely face. Right as she was about to climb out of her bed, she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Karin-chan?" It was Yuzu, in her sweet and innocent voice. Karin was somewhat relieved; knowing that is wasn't her father or Ichigo. Still, she did not want any company then. Yet, she could not turn Yuzu away.

"Come in." Karin called, loud enough to be heard by Yuzu. Yuzu turned the knob and entered the dark room, a tray in hand with warm milk standing on it.

"Were you sleeping?" Yuzu quietly asked. "I am so sorry for disturbing you." Despite herself, Karin smiled softly. Yuzu was so cute.

"No, you did not disturb me at all." She assured. She saw Yuzu physically loosen as she sat down on the bed. She took the glass off the tray and handed it to Karin, putting the tray aside. Karin studied the glass for a second, and then took it. She took one small sip of it and held it in her hand, letting the warm liquid heat up her body.

"Are you feeling better?" Yuzu spoke after some moments of deafening silence. Karin looked at her and shook her head. Yuzu's eyes saddened and she put a hand on Karin's shoulder.

"I am so sorry that happened." She whispered. "Onii-chan's anger is one that cannot be tampered with, Karin-chan. You know that."

"I do know that." Karin began to sob. "B-but he was just b-being s-so u-unreasonable! H-he tried to take away my h-happiness!" Yuzu pulled Karin into her loving arms, letting her cry on her shoulder. She rubbed her back while whispered soothing words to her.

"I love him, Yuzu." Murmured Karin. Yuzu's eyes widened in horror.

"Karin-chan, no." Yuzu frantically said. She was shaking in terror of imagining what may happen if Karin got too close to the Akuma. Karin escaped Yuzu's embrace and sat up, her head down so her eyes were hidden.

"I'm so sorry, Yuzu." She muttered sadly as she got up from the bed. Yuzu looked at her with a perplexed expression. Karin walked around and stood behind Yuzu. She punched Yuzu in the back of her head, and Yuzu instantly fell on the bed unconscious. Karin's heart pained at seeing her sister like this.

"I hope you can forgive me." She whispered.

O

**Drama... :P I had a lot of trouble figuring out what would happen in this chapter****...but I guess I'm content with how it came out. It also took forever to edit. But I'm glad Ichigo finally met Rukia! XD  
><strong>

**Ohh, also big thanks to sayo****-chan64 for informing me that I've been spelling Onii-chan wrong. :) And huge thanks to all of my lovely readers/reviewers for bearing with my lazy bitchass self! You guys rock! ^-^  
><strong>

**Ohh and- *Mom comes in and screams at me for the dishes* :O Thanks for reading and please review!** **:D**


	5. Screech

**Chapter 5 is here!** **It's been soo long, I know. I'm so sorry! I've recently lost my writing muse for this story because of some family problems...*sigh* But, I managed to write this chapter because I feel really REALLY horrible for being so late. I hope you enjoy it. **

**Oh, fluff alert! A wittle tiny bit of fluff is in this chapter. ^-^**

Chapter Five- Screech

"What are you doing here?" Hitsugaya asked as he turned around to see Karin standing there, a sad look in her sparkling eyes. He became distressed at seeing her sad. Whenever he had seen her, she always had a pleasant expression marking her gorgeous face.

"I have come to see you," she responded simply.

"I thought your brother had forbidden you from seeing me." He stated lowly.

"He did." Hitsugaya flinched slightly.

"_I do not blame him." _He thought bitterly.

"Why have you disobeyed his orders?" Karin walked up to him. She thought his oceanic eyes shimmered more in the subtle glow of the midnight moon.

"Because I love you." She simply stated, her thumb gently caressing his face. Hitsugaya's eyes widened. He grabbed her hand and held it away from his face as he averted his gaze.

"No." he scolded. "Karin I can't do this."

"Why can't you?"

"Karin, I am not someone worth running away from home for." He turned his face to the side, not wanting to see her pained face.

"But you are." Said Karin stubbornly.

"No, I am not. I am an Akuma. I will end up hurting you like everyone else."

"You're wrong!" Karin shouted, her voice echoing in the blankness of the park. She raised her hand and turned his face towards her. "I don't believe that one bit."

"Karin, go back home."

"I will not! I will not leave you! I don't give a damn about what my brother says! I love you! You're the only one who makes me feel safe." Hitsugaya ached at seeing her tearing eyes.

"Karin, I would die if I ever hurt you." Hitsugaya admitted sadly. He lowered his head in shame.

"You cannot help what you are, Toshiro." Karin informed. Hitsugaya didn't look at her, for he knew she was right. Even so, he could not risk hurting her.

"I am not just hurting you, Karin." He whispered. He touched the hand on his face and looked into her eyes intently. "Think of your family. By seeing me, you have pained your family so much."

"I would do anything for you. Even if it is hurting my own family." Hitsugaya clenched his fists.

"As I said before, I am not worth it!" he yelled, pulling away from her touch. He ached, for her touch was like flower petals dancing on his skin.

"Yes you are." Karin murmured.

"No, I am not!" he shouted stubbornly. He lowered his voice once he saw a tear fall out of her eye. "Please don't cry." He placed a hand on her cheek, cupping it as he wiped away the lone tear. "Karin, you are blessed to have a family such as yours. So caring, loving. I do not understand the slightest of why you would leave them."

"I have given them up for you."

"Karin, you'll end up murdering me if you keep doing this." Hitsugaya couldn't contain the immense guilt he felt. He not only would probably end up hurting Karin, but he was already hurting her family as well. "I still don't understand your thinking, and it seems as if I never will."

"I love you, Toshiro." She said strongly. Hitsugaya couldn't take it anymore. The essence of having her so close to him was intoxicating him. He needed to feel her in his arms. He forcefully pulled her against him and kissed her lips gingerly. Karin was shocked for a moment, but relaxed once she felt used to the velvet of his touch. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands gripped her waist. Her fingers were lost in his spiky hair as they pulled away for breath.

"I love you too." He whispered. Karin smiled and kissed him again.

O

Yuzu awoke, feeling very confused as she took in her surroundings. She assumed the time was about four in the morning and everyone should have been sleeping. She recognized the room she was in as Karin's, and remembered that she had brought milk for her. She was confused as to how she ended up sleeping in the bed. She looked at Karin's closet and widened her eyes. The closet was empty, and looked as if it was vacated in a hurry. She also saw a small folded note lying on the bed next to her. Yuzu gaped in realization. She grabbed the note, stood up abruptly and ran out the door, tears streaming down her face.

"Onii-chan!" Yuzu screamed as she ran, her frantic voice echoing throughout the tiny house. "Father!"

"What is wrong, Yuzu?" Ichigo asked lazily, rubbing his eye as he exited his room after hearing Yuzu's shouts. His eyes looked very tired and droopy, as he was most likely sleeping.

"I-it's K-Karin!" Yuzu sputtered, panting hardly. Isshin approached the two as he awoke as well.

"What about Karin?" Ichigo asked, suddenly more alert. His hands were shaking Yuzu's shoulders, demanding her to talk. "Yuzu, please talk!" Ichigo and Isshin stared at Yuzu, their panic rising.

"S-she…" Yuzu trailed off. She raised her hand in front of Ichigo and opened her fingers. In her palm was the small folded piece of paper Karin left behind. Ichigo let go of Yuzu's shoulders and grabbed the paper. He rapidly unfolded it and read it along with Isshin. The note read:

_My Dear Family,_

_I apologize for this sudden departure. I just couldn't stay away from my love. I wish you just could have comprehended that. I thank you for all of the love and care you've shared with me. I will never be able to return the favor. I just want you to know that I will not be coming back. I know I have pained you all greatly. I hope you may forgive me one day. I love you all. _

_Karin_

Ichigo died inside after reading the note. He stood there, rereading it over and over again, as if waiting for the words to become untrue. His eyes teared up as he dropped the note.

"She ran away." Ichigo whispered. Isshin stood behind Ichigo, eyes tearing in remorse and pain. Yuzu stood sobbing greatly in her arms.

"Ichigo, calm down." Isshin attempted to console Ichigo. Ichigo simply ignored him and smashed his fist into the wall of the hallway in pure anger and regret.

"It's my entire fault!" he screeched, probably waking surrounding neighbors. "She left because of me! I drove her away!" From his knuckles trickled bright crimson liquid, but Ichigo did not heed it. He continued punching the wall while grunting and screaming, shattering the wood of the wall.

"Ichigo!" Isshin yelled, grabbing Ichigo's fist and prying him away from the wall. "Stop!"

"No! This is all because of me!" barked Ichigo stubbornly.

"It couldn't be helped." Yuzu spoke in her soft voice. Ichigo looked at her and considered her words.

"No." Ichigo stated. "I should not have tried to take away her happiness."

"You were only trying to protect her, Son." Isshin bargained, attempting to console Yuzu's crying.

"Protecting her is useless if I go to the extent of snatching away her happiness." Ichigo sadly admitted. "Her departure is my fault and only mine." He sprinted in his room and slammed the door shut. A few minutes later, he retreated from his room, out of his pajamas and in his Hunter garb, consisting of a white button down shirt, an old and scratched leather jacket, and brown pants along with black boots. His blade laid hanging at his waist, waiting to strike.

"Where are you going, Onii-chan?" Yuzu asked worriedly. Ichigo looked at her and broke a small smile for her.

"I am going to find Karin." He sternly said. He was about to walk off when Isshin grabbed his shoulder, halting him.

"Please do not do anything hasty, Ichigo." Isshin warned. Ichigo nodded.

"I know, Father." Ichigo reassured. Isshin nodded and removed his hand.

"I just worry of your temper, Son." His face smoothed into a small smile. "There is no telling of what you may accomplish after seeing that Akuma."

"I will try to control myself as much as I can." Ichigo stated. "I would slaughter that Akuma at first sight of him, but he has not done anything yet." Ichigo walked off. As he walked, he yelled goodbyes to his father and sister. One thought only consisted in his mind.

"_I will bring you back, Karin. I will assure your happiness." _

O_  
><em>

**More drama... :/ HitsuKarin romance has begun! Yay! Don't worry, more of it is to come. *smirks* But, don't hold your breath for IchiRukiness, 'cause that's not comin' for a looong time. Sorry!**

**Please review and tell me how bad of a person I am. D:  
><strong>


End file.
